prospecting

guessing you're applying to nittrouer's group?

It depends - I've heard of POIs invite multiple students to the Open House where only spot is available.

actually, I'll tell you what my problem with you is. And I'm surprised to be able to sum it all into four words: "You're a fucking crybaby"

Thats interesting, since Rice has already accepted plenty of students. Seeing how you are, I think you may have misread your POIs statement. Think he meant you were the first to get cut out Still hoping someone as annoying as you don't make it here. And please don't be sending me PMs, Columbia09.

lol

I recall a friend telling me that UT sends out blanket rejections. They first send out offer letters and progress down the line until there are no more slots left. I believe a friend mentioned that he received a generic rejection letter saying they had received a couple hundred applicants that year and so they have had a hard time selecting applicants. Maybe someone who received a rejection letter in previous years can give some insight?

AKGeo on the other thread has been invited out to UT Austin, UCSB, and USC as a prospective masters student. Heard through the grapevine a bunch of accepted students are visiting Rice today.

God I hope you don't get into Rice.

Are you in contact with a POI? And is he/she aware that you are currently in Minneapolis and open to visit UT?

Why do you say you're a textbook screwup? You seem to have the credentials......... and you are coming from Brown too.....

MS applicants have it the worst. There are way more and way less available funds. Don't believe there are fellowships available for MS too, just scholarships. Even health insurance for MS students/candidates, at least where I am, isn't subsidized.

I had friends who never heard back till May when they got their rejection letters. Most schools send out first pick offer letters, and they will provide a deadline to accept the offer. If the offer is turned down, the school will send the offer letter to their second pick... and so on. And yes, this I believe is true too - UT doesn't admit without funding.

Most offer letters would have been sent out by mid-Feb, and despite this I believe UT holds out on sending rejection letters out till May. Yup and the graduate department wants diversity and so promotes accepting students from different educational backgrounds.

Don't departments tend to reject candidates from attending graduate studies at where they did their UG? of the five people I knew who applied to their department, only one ever got accepted but his POI has a ton of money and clout. All the best though! Its kinda quiet in this thread...

FYI - heard from a friend today that he received an offer letter from UT-Austin. His research focus will be on geophysics and I believe seismic interpretation/reservoir characterization...?

I'd say to contact the department's graduate studies coordinator and ask if your application has been reviewed.

Congrats to Tuff and Laocoon! Chances are you've already been accepted and the Professors just want to meet you to be sure that you are the candidate they think you are. I have met a few graduate students who have been kicked out of their respective g&g graduate programs because they turned out to be lackadaisical, lazy, disinterested, half-hearted. Actually knew a masters candidate who would be drunk at a bar by late afternoon; needless to say he got kicked out without a recommendation letter and without department support in helping find him a job. In any case - my guess is that it will be an especially tough application season because of the oil and gas downturn; jobs are being cut left and right, and people must've figured nows the best time to go to graduate school. Recent graduates who are unemployed, and who initially had no interest in graduate school are now left without a choice. There were many signs back in November that O&G was in for a slow, and many must have picked up on those signs. If this continues on, the next application season will be all the more competitive. So while it is more competitive than in previous years, please don't think it is you. There are many external circumstances, such as funding, which are beyond our control that dictates who gets in and who doesn't. That being said, I am a little surprised Geomex with full funding available hasn't been picked up yet. Keep your chin up everyone. Its not over until its over.

If you're talking about Professor Yingcai Zheng, he seems like a very likable person! I don't think he was a a Professor at MIT though, but all the best!

Think the asians have the same difficulty as you and other hispanics would with the GRE. Btw - I met a Professor at UH who told me they had 800 applicants last year, and less than five percent were accepted. All the best.

I am attending a school in Texas, and I can give some insight. A fair number of UT attendees do come from Texan schools: 1) Residency allows half the savings on tuition bills. Schools in Texas like Rice & SMU don't distinguish residency and so there is a large number of international students with a HUGELY disproportionate number of them coming from China. In fact, I believe everyone in the geophysics graduate department here, and who are international students, came from China. I don't recall having met a geophysics graduate student who isn't either chinese or white. 2) The Texan G&G community is close-knit, and chances are if you are doing your UG in Texas, your POI will know your undergraduate research professor. This means you would know your POI on a more personal level and be able to build rapport, giving you a huge leverage for seeking admissions. It's perfect for many other people, and for so many reasons too :l Texas yeah!

The GRE is a hurdle. If there is nothing left you can do about it for this application season, then I say there is no point in worrying about it. You have bigger fish to fry and I agree with Usmivka that LORs and Research Experiences are the more important factors. Continue what you are doing with contacting POIs and hope for the best. It is not over if you are not admitted this season. You will have Spring 2016, Fall 2016, etc. Furthermore, you will have the ability to strengthen your application. But for now, focus and keep your eye on the prize! All the best, friend.

Keep your chin up. The decisions aren't out yet and there is no reason to feel defeated before it has even begun. While it is true you are applying to popular programs, there are many factors that go into a decision and the Q-GRE score is just one of them. I have seen students being admitted to these programs, with less qualified credentials, and so I believe you will fare decently well this application season. Continue what you are doing, and remember to keep your chin up! It ain't over till it is over I also believe (correct me if I am wrong) that most geology students don't have to go past Calc I(?). I was a Geophysics major and had to do Calc III and 4. I believe only Geophysics majors have to go that far.....? So I guess you have that going for you if you have taken up to Calc 2.

Graduate students who return to school after spending some time working tend to be mature and more focused; two qualities Professors find desirable in candidates. That being said - the schools you are applying to have excellent geology programs and despite your quantitative GRE score, I believe you will fare well this application season. Because of its importance, I have to continue harping - have you been in contact with any of your POIs? Have you brought up your concerns?

Indeed your GPA and GRE scores are a little on the low end but it is still worth a shot applying to schools on your list. What do you mean exactly when you say your conversations with POIs are not meaningful nor memorable? Professors are busy and tend to leave very concise replies. Granted, I did have perhaps three (?) Professors continue their correspondences with me through between 10 to 20 emails outlining aspects of their research, getting me in contact with their current graduate students, enquiring about my post-graduate aspirations, and arranging follow-up sessions (phone, skype, in-person) where it would be quicker/easier to relay information. However, they were uncommon and most of my correspondences were short and quick-to-forget. I have to say it took a lot of my own initiative to "getting the show on the road". I read, albeit briefly, my POIs research to establish an idea of their research focus. Knowing this, I draft an initial email unique to each Professor's research indicating a strong interest in their projects. Of course it also helped to know my own interests because it narrowed down potential advisers very quickly. In a nutshell: I find that POIs tend to respond better to well-initiated students who share a keen interest in their projects and are clear on their intentions in graduate school. I'd like to ask if there is a specific area of study you wish to pursue in Geophysics? I see sedimentology but it not clear the avenue you wish to continue. Have you looked into Kyle Straub at Tulane University? I believe he is seeking potential PhD students. Are you applying to do a PhD or a MSc? Edit: One last thing I'd like to add is being a female or any one of the LGBT groups does not qualify as a special bonus, and does not grant special consideration.